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The streamflow forecast for the Rio Hondo Basin from March to June decreased since last month’s report by 24 percent to 46 percent of average for the gauge at the Hollywood station between the village of Ruidoso and the city of Ruidoso Downs. The basin includes the Rio Ruidoso that runs through both towns.

However, year-to-date precipitation sits at 101 percent of average, according to the March 1 New Mexico Basin Outlook Report compiled by the Natural Resource Conservation Service in Albuquerque.

“Similar to last year, this is largely due to moisture being front loaded in December and January, because February received only 41 percent of the monthly average precipitation,” snow survey hydrologic technician Chris Romero wrote in the report. “Snowpack has decreased another 5 percent to 59 percent of the median, which is 86 percent below the reading in the basin at the same time last year. This is largely due to warm temperatures preventing precipitation to fall as snow.”

February weather was relatively quiet in the state, he wrote. Until the final days of the month, a large portion of the state saw little precipitation and had no gains in snowpack. Temperatures fluctuated between 10 degrees above or below average from week to week, he said.

Snowpack values decreased across all basins in the state, Romero observed.

“Since the beginning of February, overall statewide snowpack has dropped by 39 percent to 102 percent of the median,” he wrote. “Following what turned out to be a very wet January, the month of February reached for the other end of the spectrum. New Mexico statewide received 75 percent of the average precipitation for February compared to 216 percent in January. Water (content) year-to-date precipitation statewide now sits at 117 percent of the average, an 11 percent decrease from the previous month. Last year at this point, precipitation was 111 percent of the average.

“With the forecast currently pointing toward warmer temperatures, there always is the possibility of spring like precipitation. This has the potential to aid runoff and counteract a diminished snowpack.”